Champions League - Ferguson praise for match-winner Rooney

Eurosport - Tue, 02 Oct 23:48:00 2007
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson praised match-winner Wayne Rooney after his first goal of the season earned them a 1-0 win over Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday
Rooney's 70th-minute strike took United clear at the top of Group F and confirmed his return to form after recovering from a broken bone in his foot which kept him out for more than a month earlier this season.
"It was only his fourth or fifth match and he is still trying to get his rhythm and real match fitness," said Ferguson.
"It will do him good. Goals always do players good, particularly when goals are expected of them, so I'm pleased with that."
Ferguson felt United deserved their victory on the back of their second-half performance, although they had to ride their luck late on as Roma missed a number of chances.
He added: "Maybe the first half was a bit more tactical and we played with far too much caution. In the second half I think we improved and the goal was a fabulous goal.
"It was great movement and good passing which gave us the penetration we were looking for and created the opening for Wayne's excellent goal.
"We controlled most of the match. We tired a little bit towards the end when they started to take risks going for an equaliser but in the main I think we deserved the result."
Ferguson's side now have maximum points and face the prospect of qualifying for the knockout stages ahead of a return trip to Rome.
"Ten points will take us through and we have got six. Winning the first two matches gives us confidence and that controlling position (in the group)," Ferguson said.
"Our next two games are against Kiev and hopefully we will add to those points. We did not want to go to Rome looking for points in our last game. That would be difficult but hopefully we won't have to worry about that."
United finished the game with 10 men after Cristiano Ronaldo left the field with a head wound but there never any threat of a repeat of the off-the-field violence which marred United's game in Roma last season.
"I didn't see it but he said he was elbowed," Ferguson said.
"He's had four stitches in his eyebrow. It's unfortunate because I think the game was played in good spirit. There was never really anything untoward in the match.
"The game was well refereed and well played by both teams with a good atmosphere about the players which was excellent because there was always the possibility in a match of this kind, given what happened last year, could set off a series of problems. But congratulations to both sets of players."
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti was disappointed to leave empty handed but happy Roma restored their reputation following their 7-1 beating at Old Trafford in April.
He said: "I think the team showed what happened in April was a blip. Tonight's performance showed there was a huge difference between what happened then and what happened now.
"When a team puts in a display like that it should not be a beaten side. If anyone deserved to score more goals it was us, rather than Manchester United."Spalletti added that midfielder Alberto Aquilani, who was carried off on a stretcher, sustained a serious muscle injury.